Brick By Boring Brick
by Rudie Fenton
Summary: Ariella had been orphaned at a young age, her parents slaughtered in front of her. She had been taken into the arms of an intergalactic warlord, the very man who was responsible for her parents' deaths. She was trained to become a killer, enhanced to become stronger, and feared across the galaxy. Ariella was member of her father's Black Order. Until the day she chose to run.
1. Chapter I

_Go get your shovel_  
 _We'll dig a deep hole_  
 _To bury the castle, bury the castle_  
 _Go get your shovel_  
 _We'll dig a deep hole_  
 _To bury the castle, bury the castle_

-Brick By Boring Brick; **by Paramore**

* * *

Ariella liked to think she was lucky. She honestly did. She managed to survive into adulthood; after years of training and cybernetic enhancements, she became stronger; she could kill easily, without being overwhelmed with guilt or remorse. For Ariella, all of that counted as _luck_. The day her adoptive father invaded her home-world, she wouldn't have considered herself lucky. In fact, no one in her race thought that way. They were overwhelmed with fear, trying their best to fight back or escape. Ariella's parents tried to escape with her, but it didn't work out that way. Her parents had been slaughtered in front of her, torn apart while they screamed. And being so young, what could Ariella _do_ but watch? She had been paralyzed with fear, unsure on whether or not she could outrun her parents' killers. Obviously not, she had shorter legs than them and they were so _close_. But they didn't touch her. _He_ showed up, saying he was interested in Ariella. He wanted to take her back with him. At that time, the younger version of herself hadn't the slightest clue on what that meant. She quickly understood not long after. The man, the _terrifyingly_ tall, purple man, claimed to be her new, adoptive father. He claimed she'd be his weapon, that she would serve him in whatever way he saw fit. Ariella couldn't understand what he'd said that day, blood had been rushing to her ears, adrenaline was still pumping heavily throughout her body. As her new father's army took care of her people, he was ensuring she became a warrior. A killer. A _monster_. Years ticked on and Ariella learned that the only way she'd survive under her father's control would be to shut herself off emotionally. Survival required detachment, it required not being scared all the time. She had to do her best to live to the next day. Her father's other children, who'd been with him far longer than her, understood what needed to be done and did so without hesitation. They were obedient, they were the perfect soldiers.* Her father's devotees and henchmen were the same way. And it seemed, in Ariella's eyes, her adoptive father had soldiers in all parts of the galaxy.

As the years went by, and Ariella found herself entering her teen years, she had already become an expert fighter. She could wield weapons without fail. She could hold her own in fights. She'd managed, on multiple occasions, to best almost all her siblings in battle. The only one she failed to best was her older sister, Gamora. The Zehoberei was favored by their father. She was admired for her strength, for doing whatever it took to be successful. Ariella wanted to be like Gamora. She wanted that kind of admiration from Thanos. But that just couldn't happen. Gamora was the "favorite child", everyone else was considered subpar. For Ariella, however, the one good thing for _her_ , something _she_ felt put her above Gamora, was being able to join the Black Order. The Order itself was comprised of Thanos' other adopted children, who were seen in the galactic community as unwavering in their loyalties to their father. Ariella, at the time of her joining the Order, did believe in what Thanos wanted. She thought his goals could be achieved and that the universe could finally have a sense of balance. But as she continued to train, and continued to fight and command alongside her siblings, she came to doubt where her loyalties lied. The emotions she spent _years_ trying to suppress were starting to resurface. In Ariella's mind, she was starting to fail her father, she was starting to fail the Black Order. And the more she stayed with her siblings and Thanos, the more her feelings were starting to influence her. She was doubting her father's beliefs, she was questioning her siblings' actions — how could they try and justify what they did? The Black Order assisted in slaughtering civilizations; they commanded the Outriders, one of the most feared armies under Thanos. Ariella's siblings could say it was for the universe's best interest, but how was mass genocide considered _good_? How was hunting the Infinity Stones so _good_? The Stones were scattered for a reason, right? Ariella was losing control of herself, and she knew that the longer she stayed within the Order, under her father's command, that she'd crack. Thanos didn't tolerate failure. All of his children, all of armies and supporters, knew of that.

That was why, without so much as a second thought, Ariella chose to leave.

 **O.O.O.O**

Ariella Manson had been five years old when Thanos took her. She had witnessed the murder of her parents, she watched as countless numbers of Thanos' soldiers attacked civilians. She remembered the screams and the smell of blood and sweat. It was something that couldn't be easily forgotten. She could vividly remember the fear and adrenaline that pumped through her small body during the whole ordeal; the way it left her feeling numb and overstimulated at the same time. There had been tears in her eyes, and her breathing was so heavy it hurt. Ariella remembered those details _very_ well. She also remembered the first time she saw Thanos up close. He was gigantic, covered in golden armor and glaring down at her in a way that made the five year old want to scream. But she had been paralyzed in fear, her body didn't know how to react to the situation. Nothing in Ariella's life prepared her for an invasion, for seeing her parents get slaughtered like animals. But Thanos approached her and looked at her as if she were some kind of science project, regarding her in an almost dismissive fashion. Then he ordered his soldiers to take her. He was _interested_ in what she could do.

Immediately after Ariella was taken under Thanos' wing, she was introduced to some of his other children. The more obedient ones. They had accompanied him in order to help with the invasion; and they seemed to have _years_ of training and experience on their side. None of the bloodshed frightened them; none of the screaming and crying civilians bothered them. They looked emotionless. That scared Ariella even more. Why was she being introduced to those other children? Were they supposed to mean something to her? Apparently, they did. Thanos had announced he was her adoptive father, and that his other children were her older siblings. They'd serve as her competitors, being the more experienced warriors in his little collection. Ariella would learn to serve as his own personal assassin, and they would not only train her, but compete for worthiness among his ranks. Afterward, she was introduced to some of his servants, most of them being Kree. Ariella had never met a Kree before, and it scared the daylights out of her. Their eyes seemed to burn into her, looking _so_ deeply into her that it left her feeling more exposed than she already was. The Kree served to not only train Thanos' other children, but to ensure the other planets under his control complied to his demands. One of the warriors was assigned that day to be Ariella's personal trainer. What she didn't realize was just how immediate her world would be altered.

Ariella trained under a Kree named Cayden. He was brutal, merciless. He didn't stop until his student was on the brink of death in the early days. It took _years_ for her to learn effective enough techniques in order to counter his attacks. It took _years_ of being tortured by Thanos in order to become stronger. Every time Cayden took her down, Ariella was forced to undergo experimental surgical enhancements. Cybernetic attachments were added to her body to make her stronger and more durable. Thanos wanted her to be Cayden's equal when it came to fighting. Once she was able to hold her own against the Kree warrior, it was a fight between her and her siblings. Ariella had since, over the years, become acquainted with her six siblings, having observed them fighting each other under Thanos' commands. He wanted to test his children against each other, to see which ones were the strongest and most valuable. And, as always, Gamora seemed to be the top dog, even against the more strong and durable Cull Obsidian. Of course, there had been times where Thanos' precious Zehoberei would falter and lose, but it wasn't often. Once Ariella found herself being pitted against her siblings, she was unsure on what to do. Cull had strength and near impenetrable skin. Proxima had her speed, spear, and mastery in fighting. Nebula was a capable fighter, but she tended to wait too long when it came to landing effective blows. Ebony was manipulative and Corvus had his glaive. Ariella definitely had to improve herself in order to become as good as her siblings. The enhancements worked, but once she discovered she had abilities, it only added to her capabilities as a fighter. For Thanos, he was mildly impressed by it, but not by much. His focus was always elsewhere.

By the time Ariella managed to work her way into the Black Order, she'd been with Thanos and his underlings for a better part of nineteen years. She'd endured years of horrendous training and experimentation. She managed to survive and work her way to the top. She was assisting her siblings in finding the Infinity Stones, in bringing balance back to everything. But once those emotions started filling Ariella's head, she started to feel her resolve slowly break down. Everything she worked for seemed to be crashing down. The feeling of detachment, not wanting to take everything so personally. It started to flood back into her. The guilt and remorse for every being she'd slaughtered was pumping into her body relentlessly. All of it came crashing down after a specific mission, where Ariella had killed an entire family on an alien planet in the distant part of the galaxy. It had been under Proxima's orders that the kills be done, and when it had been completed, all the emotions Ariella felt flooded into her all at once. It seemed to awaken her in some way. It was then she realized she wanted to leave. What she was feeling was interfering with everything she'd been trained to do. She couldn't afford to have clouded judgment in such a violent way of life. Not only that, but she couldn't bear the thought of having to hurt anyone else. Ariella had spent _nineteen_ years inflicting harm upon everyone she met, wasn't she allowed to have a limit? Wasn't she allowed to have a _choice_? Thanos had built an empire for himself, becoming known throughout the galactic community as a warlord and a madman; anyone who knew him understood it to be true. But for Ariella, she was feeling overwhelmed by it all. Just how much longer until someone noticed a change in her? If Thanos were to see the change, what would he do? He wasn't one to tolerate failure, so that could mean he'd do something drastic to her.

All of those thoughts, accompanied by all types of scenarios, swirled in Ariella's had. What would Thanos do? What would the Black Order do? What would Thanos' followers do? What punishments would await her? Would Thanos even _allow_ any punishment, or would he kill her? In the end, she chose to leave the Black Order, to leave the only life she ever knew. She needed to go somewhere she could lay low for a little while; at least until she could figure out what she was going through. But she also knew the consequences that came with abandoning her position; and she knew _those_ would be less than pleasant.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **So, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Personally, I didn't really like it, but it was the best I could come up with. If you see anything that could use improvement, don't hesitate to let me know. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Also, I'd like to apologize for the wait on the chapter. I've been a little busy so I had to put this off until I had the time.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and an excitement for INFINITY WAR. If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as fast as I can.**

 **Just a little head's up for you guys, I'm currently almost halfway through my spring quarter in community college. Which means midterms are fast approaching, as are other major projects and assignments. This is also my second to last quarter in community college, which means I won't be updating under a specific schedule. Whenever I have the time, I'll update a chapter. Other than that, I'll be focusing on schoolwork on top of my actual job.**

 **Secondly, how many of you are excited for INFINITY WAR? I want to say that the movie was released a day or two early in some areas, correct me if I'm wrong. Either way, I know it's coming out tomorrow, but for anyone who's seen the movie already, what were your thoughts? If you choose to leave thoughts on INFINITY WAR, please don't leave spoilers. That's the one thing I'd very much appreciate.**

 **On that, I'll see you guys on the flip side.**

 **Rudie Fenton**


	2. Chapter II

_All that I want_  
 _Is to wake up fine_  
 _Tell me that I'm alright_  
 _That I ain't gonna die_  
 _All that I want_  
 _Is a hole in the ground_  
 _You can tell me when it's alright_  
 _For me to come out_

-Hard Times; **by Paramore**

* * *

Ariella knew leaving Thanos and the Black Order was dangerous. She knew trying to figure a way out without being noticed was nearly _impossible_. Thanos had eyes and ears everywhere. He'd know of her plans before she had a chance to act on them. It was frustrating, but Ariella wanted nothing more than to _leave_. Her emotions were getting in the way of her service to Thanos and her siblings. If they figured out that she was having _doubts_ , that she was being clouded by _weakness_ , she'd be dead before she had a chance to react. Weakness was unacceptable in Thanos' eyes. He had no room for it in his growing empire. Weakness got in the way of power, it made people useless. Ariella didn't want to have her growing weaknesses noticed. For nineteen year she'd been trained to be an emotionless killing machine. She'd reached the rank of a Galaxy-Class killer through her ability to kill without mercy, without so much as an _ounce_ of guilt. But then it started flooding in her, as if something inside her was breaking. That wasn't good; not at _all_. Ariella knew she'd have to leave in order to work some things out; but leaving Thanos did come at a high price. Leaving the _Black Order_ , that was equally as dangerous.

In the end, however, Ariella knew she'd have to seek refuge on a planet left untouched by her father. Thanos had a growing number of planets under his control, all of them tainted by his violence. Planets _he_ believed he'd done acts of mercy on. Ariella knew that if she wanted to remain undetected by Thanos, her siblings, or by any of his henchmen, she'd have to find a planet with inhabitants who looked like her. Unlike her other siblings, Ariella didn't outwardly display any physical differences. She didn't have blue or green skin like Nebula or Gamora. She wasn't huge or bulky like Cull. She didn't have any of the features Proxima, Ebony, or Corvus had, either. Ariella looked... _human_ , in a way. There were probably a few smaller, more subtle, things that made her a bit different than an average human being, but she could easily blend in with them with little to no trouble. All she'd have to do was not use her powers or try to kill anyone. Which, when thinking about it, seemed almost _ridiculous_. Ariella was a trained assassin, she'd spent so much of her life killing. How could she just _stop_ doing it? She knew she'd have to train herself to stay as civil and unnoticed as possible. If she could remain invisible on a planet Thanos hadn't touched, then she'd be able to work out what she was feeling. If she chose to go back to Thanos and the Black Order, she'd face possibly fatal consequences. If she chose to remain in hiding, then her punishments would remain the same. But that didn't mean Thanos wasn't creative; he'd figure out a way to make Ariella feel pain she'd never experienced before. Those were the main things she didn't want to have to go through, but she knew it was for her own good.

"Is there something troubling you, sister?"

Turning her head slightly, Ariella saw Proxima stand next to her. Ariella's relationship with Proxima was complicated; the two seemed to get along when it came to missions, they knew how to organize plans and how to effectively take down targets. For the most part, the two had each other's backs when it mattered. But there were other things that made their relationship a bit difficult. Since Ariella was the youngest of the Black Order, that meant she wasn't taken _as_ seriously by the others. She was often disregarded, her strategies or opinions on certain things were scrutinized. Proxima had no problem brushing off her sister's input, favoring the opinions of Corvus or Ebony. Since Cull was more of the team's brawn, he didn't really have much to give other than that. But, in some way, Ariella _did_ care for Proxima; not a lot, but it was there. Buried deep down.

The good thing was the group was headed to their next mission, a distant planet Thanos believed needed his mercy. For Ariella, she had spent a fair amount of time studying the planet's inhabitants and its environmental structure. It was a primitive planet, suffering from overpopulation and minimal resources. For Thanos, he believed it was his duty to assist in an issue as big as that.

"I'm fine." Ariella's voice remained cold and distant, not wanting to give herself away. "How much longer until we arrive?"

Proxima's response wasn't immediate. There were several minutes of silence and several _more_ minutes of Ariella feeling her sister's gaze burn a hole through her body. It was unnerving, but it wasn't uncommon. Whenever Ariella found herself overthinking something, or having minimal involvement with what her siblings were planning, one of them would always be sent to retrieve her. Naturally, there'd be questioning, and Ariella would do what she could to keep her siblings satisfied. She couldn't let them know what was going through her head. They were the Black Order, the Children of Thanos, it wouldn't be surprising if each and every one of them had secrets.

"Ebony estimates we will be arriving in a few hours." Hearing Proxima's voice after what felt like a _lifetime_ of silence eased the unnerving feeling, but not by much.* "What did you find in your research?" she asked.

"The inhabitants are primitive," Ariella explained. "Whatever weapons they have, it will be nothing compared to us."

"And you're positive about this?"

"Has my research ever been wrong?" Ariella's sharp gaze went to Proxima, who seemed rather nonchalant about the situation.

"You may have earned your way into the Black Order," Proxima scoffed, "but you have the shortest temper here."

"It wouldn't hurt to be taken seriously."

Proxima gave a soft scoff before responding, "Make sure you're ready for when we arrive." Holding her spear tightly in her hand, Ariella watched as her sister's face contorted into utter seriousness. "Father expects us to do a sweep of ancient shrines and temples for an Infinity Stone."

"Did he say which one?"

"The Orb." Proxima's gaze went to Ariella's for a moment. "Gamora and Nebula failed to find it more than once. Now it is our turn."

 **O.O.O.O**

The Infinity Stones were immensely powerful objects. They were able to control different aspects of space, said to have been made around the beginning of the universe. Thanos' goal was to collect all six and use them to achieve his ultimate goal. Anyone who worked under him were made well aware of his plans. His children, especially, were educated in that. Once they received the proper amount of training and enhancements, they were forced out to find and retrieve as many Stones as possible. The only problem was Infinity Stones were difficult to find. They had been scattered around the galaxy for a millennia of years; either hidden away in ancient artifacts or locked up to be studied by advanced civilizations. So far, Thanos only had one out of six; the Mind Stone. The Titan hid the Stone inside a Scepter, which he believed could help mask the signature it gave off.

For Ariella, everything she knew on the Scepter and the remaining Infinity Stones were minimal. She knew which aspects of the universe they were tied to, she knew their origins, and she knew they held great power. Ariella also knew that, for her and her siblings, to be able to find an Infinity Stone, and to personally give it to Thanos himself, earned them a bit of favor. It was empowering, being able to do something like that. But, for Ariella, she didn't _want_ that empowering moment. She wanted to go, to find out what her emotions wanted; what her _mind_ wanted. The moment Proxima announced that they'd be going to a distant planet under Thanos' orders, Ariella had a feeling of relief wash over her. It was short-lived, however. With the planet being primitive, and Proxima being the one to accompany her in earch of an Infinity Stone, Ariella knew her small chances of escaping had all but vanished. She didn't want to cause any problems, considering the relationship she had with her sister. It wasn't the best, but it wasn't completely horrible. Ariella let out a soft sigh, brushing some of her black hair out of her face. She was overthinking again, a habit she just couldn't seem to shake.

 _You'll have to figure something out soon,_ she thought to herself. _If you don't, you'll surely crack soon._

Scowling slightly, Ariella looked down at her hands. One composed of flesh, the other made of metal. After Ariella failed a mission, less than two years ago, Thanos believed it necessary for her to have a punishment. He removed his daughter's left arm and replaced it with a mechanical one. The prosthetic arm functioned normally, only every once in a while did it act up. Ariella could still use her powers with the new limb, it took some time for it to adjust, however. For the longest time, Ariella hated herself for that arm; but she learned to accept it. There was no point focusing on the past, not in her line of work.

For the next five minutes, Ariella continued to glare down at her hands. She'd retreated to her quarters after her discussion with Proxima. She wanted alone time; a moment to process all of what was happening. It wasn't until those five minutes had gone that realization washed over Ariella. Her _powers_. When her abilities first manifested, she had been forced to train rigorously until she'd mastered them. Telekinesis, umbrakinesis, and telepathy; those were in Ariella's possession. She could do what she pleased with it. For _years_ she trained under Ebony in order to control her telekinesis; she'd also had to work on improving the others on her own. Through harsh training, Ariella came to control the full extent of what she could do.* Once Thanos and the Black Order landed on the planet, all the civilians would be gathered up and split evenly on both sides. One half would live, the other would die. Ebony would give his speech on how "lucky" the inhabitants were to be "chosen by Thanos". The Chitauri, who'd followed under Thanos' command, along with the remainder of the Black Order, would kill to their heart's content. Since Ariella would be alone with Proxima, she'd have the opportunity to overpower her sister and get the freedom she wanted. Or, if the ancient temples and shrines had traps of any kind, then maybe one of them could _accidentally_ go off. At least that way, no powers would be needed. All Ariella would have to do was find where the traps were placed.

 _If that's the plan,_ Ariella thought solemnly, _then go with it. Proxima may be one of Thanos' best combatants, but even she would have trouble in situations like that._

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know, a poorly written chapter that took too long when it came to posting. I'm sorry about that. School and work, ya know? It's been kicking my ass lately. Hopefully you guys can overlook that, though. Whatever constructive criticism you've got regarding these first two chapters, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'd appreciate it. Constructive criticism gives me a better understanding on what you guys want out of the story, and it lets the story grow, too. So...yeah.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the bed I sleep on. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review. I'll add your ideas in as soon as possible.**

 **Just a little additive before I wrap this author's note up. How many of you guys have seen INFINITY WAR already? I've seen it twice, and I think it's a really good movie — sad, of course, but good. If you've got any thoughts on the movie, without giving away spoilers for those who haven't seen it, you can leave a review or PM me.**

 **On that note, I'll see you guys on the flip side.**

 **Rudie Fenton**


End file.
